WO2024036423A1

WO2024036423A1 - Coupon automatic cleaning equipment

Info

Publication number: WO2024036423A1
Application number: PCT/CN2022/112374
Authority: WO
Inventors: Wenbin Wei; Lingqing NIE; Steven Dong; Lily Yang
Original assignee: Ecolab Usa Inc.
Priority date: 2022-08-15
Filing date: 2022-08-15
Publication date: 2024-02-22

Abstract

[0098] Coupon cleaning for testing and analysis can be automated to reduce potential exposure to liquid solutions and to more quickly and efficiently clean multiple coupons. A robotic arm (18) is controlled and programmed to connect to one or more coupons (46) and to move the coupons (46) along a guide. The arm (18) then submerges the coupon (46) into multiple solutions and/or water in a predetermined sequence to clean the coupon. The coupon (46) is then replaced on a rack (26) to dry before being measured and analyzed. The process is automated in that no human is needed to contact the coupons or to move them through the cleaning sequence, which provides a safer process for cleaning of the coupons.

Description

COUPON AUTOMATIC CLEANING EQUIPMENT

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of corrosion test piece cleaning systems, methods, and/or apparatus. More particularly, but not exclusively, the disclosure relates to automated systems, methods, and/or apparatus for the cleaning of corrosion test pieces, such as including, but not limited to, corrosion coupons used to measure the corrosion in water treatment systems.

BACKGROUND

The corrosion coupon includes a relatively simple device and method and is widely used to measure the corrosion in a water treatment system, cleaning and sanitizing systems, or another other system that may include a steel and/or copper container that may have a risk of corrosion. In current systems, after the coupon has spent an allotted amount of time in the water system, it is taken to a lab for cleaning and analysis. For example, the coupon is generally cleaned manually in a lab before it is weighed and evaluated to determine the amount of corrosion in the water treatment system, which can provide valuable information about said system.

According to some current systems, the coupon is submerged in a solution, such as an acid solution, alkali solution, deionized (DI) water, and/or alcohol for a predetermined amount of time. The coupon is then removed from the solution (s) and dried, such as by air. The entire process is operated manually, which is very time consuming. In addition, there is a heightened risk of safety and security during the process, as there is at least the possibility of contacting any of the solutions, which may be harmful to contact.

Thus, there exists a need in the art for a system, method, and/or apparatus to clean a coupon, as well as a sensing system to monitor the coupon cleaning process, position, process safety, which improves on the current, manual process, which will improve the safety and mitigate contact with any unwanted solutions by a user.

SUMMARY

The following objects, features, advantages, aspects, and/or embodiments, are not exhaustive and do not limit the overall disclosure. No single embodiment need provide each and every object, feature, or advantage. Any of the objects, features, advantages, aspects, and/or embodiments disclosed herein can be integrated with one another, either in full or in part.

It is a primary object, feature, and/or advantage of the present disclosure to improve on or overcome the deficiencies in the art.

It is a further object, feature, and/or advantage of any of the aspects and/or embodiments to include automatic systems, methods, and/or apparatus to clean a coupon, as well as a sensing system to monitor the coupon cleaning process, position, process safety.

It is still yet a further object, feature, and/or advantage of any of the aspects and/or embodiments to clean a corrosion test piece, such as a corrosion coupon, automatically in a lab.

It is yet another object, feature, and/or advantage of any of the aspects and/or embodiments to improve corrosion coupon analysis efficiency, to improve data accuracy, and/or to improve the safety of corrosion cleaning processes.

It is another object, feature, and/or advantage of any of the aspects and/or embodiments to be programmable and easily set up to clean and/or analyze corrosion coupons of different compositions and/or materials.

It is still another object, feature, and/or advantage of any of the aspects and/or embodiments to mitigate contamination of corrosion coupons being cleaned and analyzed, such as in a lab environment.

The automated systems, methods, and/or apparatus disclosed herein can be used in a wide variety of applications. For example, while the use with corrosion coupons is included, it should be appreciated that any aspects of the disclosure could be used in other related analytical lab or application areas, including, but not limited to cleaning medical parts or devices.

It is preferred the apparatus be safe, cost effective, and durable. For example, the automation of the process and the construction of a device will mitigate potential exposure and/or contact with potentially dangerous solutions by an operator.

At least one embodiment disclosed herein comprises a distinct aesthetic appearance. Ornamental aspects included in such an embodiment can help capture a consumer’s attention and/or identify a source of origin of a product being sold. Said ornamental aspects will not impede functionality of the automated cleaning device.

According to some aspects of the present disclosure, a method for automatically cleaning a coupon comprises connecting, with a robotic arm, a coupon to be cleaned; moving the robotic arm and coupon along a path in a first direction/plane; and exposing the coupon to a preselected series of fluids by extending the robot arm to submerge the coupon sequentially into the series of fluids to clean the coupon, wherein the robot arm and coupon are moved along the first direction/plane.

According to at least some aspects and/or embodiments provided, the method further comprises hanging the coupon on a rack after exposure to the preselected series of fluids.

According to at least some aspects and/or embodiments provided, the method further comprises providing an air stream to dry the coupon on the rack.

According to at least some aspects and/or embodiments provided, the method further comprises moving the coupon and robotic arm in a second direction/plane towards the rack after exposure to the preselected series of fluids.

According to at least some aspects and/or embodiments provided, the method further comprises operating the robotic arm with a controller, wherein said controller including a processor with a computer readable medium comprising instructions for operating the robotic arm.

According to at least some aspects and/or embodiments provided, the instructions comprise the preselected series of fluids for submerging the coupon via the robotic arm.

According to at least some aspects and/or embodiments provided, the instructions further comprise a predetermined amount of time for submerging the coupon via the robotic arm into each of the fluids of the preselected series.

According to at least some aspects and/or embodiments provided, the method further comprises providing an ultrasound at one or more of the fluids when the coupon is submerged therein.

According to at least some aspects and/or embodiments provided, the fluids comprise different solutions for cleaning the coupon.

According to additional aspects of the present disclosure, an automated system for cleaning a plurality of coupons includes a cleaning machine comprising a frame; a robotic arm slidably connected to the frame, the robotic frame including an end effector to releasably connect to a coupon; a plurality of liquids for cleaning the coupon; and a drying rack; and a controller with computer readable medium including instructions for the cleaning machine to perform the following steps: automatically connecting the robotic arm to a coupon; moving, via the frame, the robotic arm and coupon to align the robotic arm and coupon with at least one of the liquids; submerging the coupon into the liquid by extending the robotic arm and leaving the coupon in said liquid for a predetermined amount of time; repeating the moving and submerging with a plurality of the other liquids to clean the coupon; and placing the cleaned coupon on the drying rack and releasing the coupon from the robotic arm.

According to at least some aspects and/or embodiments provided, the controller and computer readable medium are housed in a control box connected to the frame of the cleaning machine.

According to at least some aspects and/or embodiments provided, the controller comprises a timer.

According to at least some aspects and/or embodiments provided, the cleaning machine comprises a plurality of bins to hold the plurality of liquids.

According to at least some aspects and/or embodiments provided, the plurality of liquids comprise solutions for cleaning coupons of various compositions.

According to at least some aspects and/or embodiments provided, the system further comprises a transducer to create an ultrasound in one or more of the plurality of bins to ultrasonically clean the coupons.

According to at least some aspects and/or embodiments provided, the drying rack comprises a fan for drying the cleaned coupons.

According to at least some aspects and/or embodiments provided, the frame comprises a guide rail for sliding the robotic arm in first and second linear directions.

According to some aspects of the present disclosure, an automated cleaning machine for cleaning coupons comprises a frame; a robotic arm slidably connected to the frame, said robotic arm being extendable in a direction generally transverse to the direction of sliding of the arm relative to the frame; a plurality of liquid solutions in bins spaced relative to the frame;

a drying rack for coupons; and a controller configured to: operate the robotic arm to attach at least one coupon thereto; move the robotic arm and at least one coupon above a bin with a liquid solution; extend the robotic arm to submerge at least a portion of the coupon into the liquid solution; repeat move and extend to other bins to clean the coupon; and move the cleaned coupon via the robotic arm to place the cleaned coupon at the drying rack.

According to at least some aspects and/or embodiments provided, the system further comprises a transducer operatively connected to the bins to ultrasonically clean the coupon in the bins.

According to at least some aspects and/or embodiments provided, the controller comprises a computer readable medium with stored instructions to perform the cleaning steps.

These and/or other objects, features, advantages, aspects, and/or embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art after reviewing the following brief and detailed descriptions of the drawings. Furthermore, the present disclosure encompasses aspects and/or embodiments not expressly disclosed but which can be understood from a reading of the present disclosure, including at least: (a) combinations of disclosed aspects and/or embodiments and/or (b) reasonable modifications not shown or described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Several embodiments in which the present disclosure can be practiced are illustrated and described in detail, wherein like reference characters represent like components throughout the several views. The drawings are presented for exemplary purposes and may not be to scale unless otherwise indicated.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an automated coupon cleaning system according to aspects and/or embodiments disclosed herein.

Figure 2 is a front elevation view of the automated coupon cleaning system of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the automated coupon cleaning system of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a side view of the automated coupon cleaning system of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is another perspective view of an automated coupon cleaning system according to aspects and/or embodiments disclosed herein.

Figures 6A-6I are a series of steps of a cleaning process for cleaning coupons via any of the aspects and/or embodiments of a cleaning system disclosed herein.

An artisan of ordinary skill in the art need not view, within isolated figure (s) , the near infinite number of distinct permutations of features described in the following detailed description to facilitate an understanding of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is not to be limited to that described herein. Mechanical, electrical, chemical, procedural, and/or other changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. No features shown or described are essential to permit basic operation of the present disclosure unless otherwise indicated.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used above have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which embodiments of the present disclosure pertain.

The terms “a, ” “an, ” and “the” include both singular and plural referents.

The term “or” is synonymous with “and/or” and means any one member or combination of members of a particular list.

As used herein, the term “exemplary” refers to an example, an instance, or an illustration, and does not indicate a most preferred embodiment unless otherwise stated.

The term “about” as used herein refer to slight variations in numerical quantities with respect to any quantifiable variable. Inadvertent error can occur, for example, through use of typical measuring techniques or equipment or from differences in the manufacture, source, or purity of components.

The term “substantially” refers to a great or significant extent. “Substantially” can thus refer to a plurality, majority, and/or a supermajority of said quantifiable variable, given proper context.

The term “generally” encompasses both “about” and “substantially. ”

The term “configured” describes structure capable of performing a task or adopting a particular configuration. The term “configured” can be used interchangeably with other similar phrases, such as constructed, arranged, adapted, manufactured, and the like.

The terms “corrosion coupon” , “coupon” , “corrosion test device” , or “corrosion test coupon” , as well as like terms, are to be considered interchangeable throughout the present disclosure. Corrosion coupons are pre-weighed and measured metal strips which are mounted in a special pipe system called a coupon rack. They are used to estimate the rate of metal corrosion by comparing the initial weight with the weight following a determined amount of time of exposure to the water in the system.

Terms characterizing sequential order, a position, and/or an orientation are not limiting and are only referenced according to the views presented.

The “invention” is not intended to refer to any single embodiment of the particular invention but encompass all possible embodiments as described in the specification and the claims. The “scope” of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. The scope of the disclosure is further qualified as including any possible modification to any of the aspects and/or embodiments disclosed herein which would result in other embodiments, combinations, subcombinations, or the like that would be obvious to those skilled in the art.

Corrosion coupons are pre-weighed and measured metal strips which are mounted in a special pipe system called a coupon rack. They are used to estimate the rate of metal corrosion by comparing the initial weight with the weight following 60, 90 or 120 days (or some other preset or predetermined amount of time) of exposure to the water in the system. Corrosion coupons are installed in a system with the intention of predicting the corrosion rate for the entire system.

The corrosion coupon (weight loss) technique is the best known and simplest of all corrosion monitoring techniques. The method involves exposing a specimen of material (the coupon) to a process environment for a given duration, then removing the specimen for analysis. The basic measurement that is determined from corrosion coupons is weight loss; the weight loss taking place over the period of exposure being expressed as corrosion rate. Thus, most data for corrosion of alloys in high-temperature gases are reported in terms of weight change/area for relatively short exposures and inadequately defined exposure conditions.

Advantages of weight loss coupons are: (1) that the technique is applicable to all environments: gases, liquids, and solids/particulate flows, (2) that visual inspection can be undertaken, (3) that corrosion deposits can be observed and analyzed, (4) that weight loss can be readily determined, and corrosion rate can be easily calculated, (5) that localized corrosion can be identified and measured, and (6) that inhibitor performance can be easily assessed.

However, as the weight loss process takes time and potentially exposes a user to potentially harmful liquid solutions (e.g., acids, alkalis, etc. ) , there is an opportunity to improve the process. This includes the use of systems, methods, and/or apparatus that automate the cleaning process of corrosion coupons. Figs. 1-4 disclose one such corrosion coupon automated cleaning system 10.

As shown in Figs. 1-4, the system 10 is generally shown as an enclosed or semi-enclosed system. The system 10 includes a cleaning machine, system, or apparatus 12, which comprises a frame 14. The frame 14 is generally the base of the system/machine. The frame 14 may comprise metal or other rigid materials capable of supporting the elements of the machine 12 and/or system 10. A shell plate 15 or other outer, protective structure is provided to provide some safety for the system 10. The shell plate 15 provides a barrier to mitigate exposure of any of the materials, moving parts, and/or solutions of the cleaning system 10 by a user. The shell plate 15 is shown to cover less than an entire amount of the area between portions of the frame 14. This provides a semi-enclosed system wherein a user maintains site and access to an interior of the machine. However, it should be appreciated that, in some aspects and/or embodiments, the shell plating can fully enclose the interior of the machine, such as around the perimeter of the machine. The shell plating can also be transparent or opaque or varying levels of opacity to provide for visual access to the interior of the machine.

Along an upper portion of the frame is a guide rail 16 with a robotic arm 18. The guide rail 16 is shown to be extended along a length of the frame 14, and may be referred to as a linear rail, track, or guide. The robotic arm 18 includes a corresponding connection to allow the arm to move along the length of the guide rail 16. The robotic arm 18 may include translational motion units that are used to move the arm in either linear direction or

plane

20, 22 along the rail 16. In addition, the robotic arm 18 can move in a direction or plane that may be transverse to the

directions

20, 22 shown in the figure. Still further, the direction may be at an angle to the

arrows

20, 22, such as to allow the robotic arm 18 to move along any plane. As will be understood, the movement of the robotic arm 18 along the rail 16 can be used as part of an automated process to clean corrosion coupons 46 via the system 10. The robotic arm 18 can be connected, either wired or wirelessly, to a controller or processor 52 in a control box 50. The control box 50 is shown to be positioned generally at or on the frame 14 of the system in the figures, but this need not be required in all embodiments. For example, it is to be appreciated that the control box 50 with processor 52 and any other components could be remote from the system 10 and connected thereto via wired or wireless manner to provide controls and other instructions and data transmission therewith.

The robotic arm 18 includes a connection to the guide rail 16. In addition, the arm 18 may include an end effector or other component generally positioned at a location distal from the guide rail 16. Such an end unit is used to removably connect to one or more coupons 46, such as via a coupon hanger 60. However, the coupon hanger 60 can hold one or more coupons 46 for cleaning via the system.

The robotic arm 18 can be extended in a direction transverse the linear guide rail 16, which may be a vertical direction, such as shown by the arrow 24. The extension of the arm 18 may be from a base portion that is at the rail. As will be understood, the extension of the arm can be used to connect and release coupons. In addition, when one or more coupons are connected to the robotic arm 18, the extension and retraction of the robotic arm 18 can be used to selectively position the coupons in one or more of the liquid solutions, such as according to a programmed cleaning procedure, to clean the coupons prior to data analysis for the coupons.

Also shown in the figures is a coupon rack 26, which is a storage and drying rack for the coupons being cleaned via the system 10. The rack 26 includes slots or location bars to hold coupons 46, such as via the coupon hanger 44. The coupons can be placed at the rack prior to going through the cleaning process. In addition, as will be understood, after cleaning, the coupons can be repositioned on the rack for drying and prior to analysis. To aid in the drying of the coupons, the drying rack may include a fan 42 or the like. The fan 42 can speed up the drying process by passing air or other gases over the coupons on the rack 46. The fan may be an electric fan.

As noted, the system 10 includes a plurality of liquid solutions for cleaning the coupons 46. The liquid solutions can include, but are not limited to, acid solutions, alkali solutions, water, water solutions (water plus cleaning agents) , and/or ethanol solutions. It should be appreciated that not all of the solution types are required, and addition solutions may also be used or replaced for the system.

According to the depiction shown in Figs. 1-4, the system 10 includes a sulfuric acid bin 28 for holding sulfuric acid, a hydrochloric acid bin 30 for holding hydrochloric acid, an alkali bin 32 for holding an alkali solution, a water bin 34 for holding water or a water solution, and an ethanol bin 36 for holding ethanol. As is known, coupons 46 can comprise various types (e.g., including, but not limited to, carbon, steel, stainless steel, copper, aluminum, or the like) , and therefore, the solutions for cleaning the different compositions may be different or be best for other solutions. The bins can take various sizes and numbers, such as depending on the amount of liquids stored therein, as well as the size and number of coupons to be cleaned.

Any or all of the solutions bins may also include ultrasonic components, such as to agitate the solutions with the coupon (s) submerged therein, so as to speed up the cleaning process. Such ultrasonic components may include a transducer 40 and/or other agitation mechanisms. The principle of the ultrasonic cleaning machine is to convert the sound energy of the ultrasonic frequency source into mechanical vibration through the transducer. The vibration generated by the ultrasonic wave is transmitted to the cleaning liquid through the cleaning tank wall, so that the micro-bubbles in the liquid in the tank can keep vibrating under the action of the sound wave, destroying and separating the dirty adsorption on the surface of the object. Depending on the object being cleaned, the process can be very rapid, completely cleaning a soiled item in minutes. In other instances, cleaning can be slower, and exceed 30 minutes.

Additionally, while not shown, sensors and switches may be included as part of the machine/system to further protect the system. The switches can be used to monitor the coupon position when the equipment is running.

As noted, many components of the system 10 are electronically controlled so as to provide an automated cleaning system and method that requires little to no user interaction. This will aid in improving safety and mitigating the risk of exposure by a user to any of the solutions used for cleaning. Therefore, in order to provide such control to the system, a control box 50 can be included. The control box 50 in Figs. 1-4 is shown to be mounted to a portion of the frame 14 of the machine 12. However, it should also be envisioned that the control box 50 be positioned under a hood or other portion of the machine, such as at or near the guide rail and/or arm. For example, Fig. 5 shows additional aspects and/or embodiments of a cleaning system in which there is a hood for holding the hardware (arm, guide, etc. ) to operate the cleaning process. Still further, it is to be appreciated that the control box 50 not be located at the machine and is otherwise remotely located. The control box 50 and components can be electronically connected in a wired or wireless manner to provide instructions, power, and otherwise control to any of the components of the system 10.

The control box 50 may include a controller or processor 52, which includes algorithms or other instructions, such as on non-transitory computer readable medium. The system 10 will preferably include an intelligent control (i.e., a controller) and components for establishing communications. Examples of such a controller may be processing units alone or other subcomponents of computing devices. The controller can also include other components and can be implemented partially or entirely on a semiconductor (e.g., a field-programmable gate array ( “FPGA” ) ) chip, such as a chip developed through a register transfer level ( “RTL” ) design process.

A processing unit, also called a processor, is an electronic circuit which performs operations on some external data source, usually memory or some other data stream. Non-limiting examples of processors include a microprocessor, a microcontroller, an arithmetic logic unit ( “ALU” ) , and most notably, a central processing unit ( “CPU” ) . A CPU, also called a central processor or main processor, is the electronic circuitry within a computer that carries out the instructions of a computer program by performing the basic arithmetic, logic, controlling, and input/output ( “I/O” ) operations specified by the instructions. Processing units are common in tablets, telephones, handheld devices, laptops, user displays, smart devices (TV, speaker, watch, etc. ) , and other computing devices.

In communications and computing, a computer readable medium is a medium capable of storing data in a format readable by a mechanical device. The term “non-transitory” is used herein to refer to computer readable media ( “CRM” ) that store data for short periods or in the presence of power such as a memory device.

Generally, the non-transitory computer readable medium operates under control of an operating system stored in the memory. The non-transitory computer readable medium implements a compiler which allows a software application written in a programming language such as COBOL, C++, FORTRAN, or any other known programming language to be translated into code readable by the central processing unit. After completion, the central processing unit accesses and manipulates data stored in the memory of the non-transitory computer readable medium using the relationships and logic dictated by the software application and generated using the compiler.

In one embodiment, the software application and the compiler are tangibly embodied in the computer-readable medium. When the instructions are read and executed by the non-transitory computer readable medium, the non-transitory computer readable medium performs the steps necessary to implement and/or use the present invention. A software application, operating instructions, and/or firmware (semi-permanent software programmed into read-only memory) may also be tangibly embodied in the memory and/or data communication devices, thereby making the software application a product or article of manufacture according to the present invention.

The memory includes, in some embodiments, a program storage area and/or data storage area. The memory can comprise read-only memory ( “ROM” , an example of non-volatile memory, meaning it does not lose data when it is not connected to a power source) or random access memory ( “RAM” , an example of volatile memory, meaning it will lose its data when not connected to a power source) . Examples of volatile memory include static RAM ( “SRAM” ) , dynamic RAM ( “DRAM” ) , synchronous DRAM ( “SDRAM” ) , etc. Examples of non-volatile memory include electrically erasable programmable read only memory ( “EEPROM” ) , flash memory, hard disks, SD cards, etc. In some embodiments, the processing unit, such as a processor, a microprocessor, or a microcontroller, is connected to the memory and executes software instructions that are capable of being stored in a RAM of the memory (e.g., during execution) , a ROM of the memory (e.g., on a generally permanent basis) , or another non-transitory computer readable medium such as another memory or a disc.

The controller 52 mal also include modules or the like, such as modules to control operation of the robotic arm 18. One or more embodiments described herein can be implemented using programmatic modules, engines, or components. A programmatic module, engine, or component can include a program, a sub-routine, a portion of a program, or a software component or a hardware component capable of performing one or more stated tasks or functions. A module or component can exist on a hardware component independently of other modules or components. Alternatively, a module or component can be a shared element or process of other modules, programs, or machines. For example, additional modules may include timers, clocks, or the like, which can provide for the operation of the cleaning system 10. The timers can indicate to the system the amount of time that a coupon or set of coupons is submerged in one or more of the solutions to optimize the cleaning process.

As the system 10 can operate to clean a number of different coupon types and/or compositions, different instructions, algorithms, and/or databases may be used to account for the different cleaning steps and operations that may be included for the different coupons.

The control box 50 and components therein will be powered electronically. Therefore, a power supply will be needed. The power supply outputs a particular voltage to a device or component or components of a device. The power supply could be a direct current ( “DC” ) power supply (e.g., a battery) , an alternating current ( “AC” ) power supply, a linear regulator, etc. The power supply can be configured with a microcontroller to receive power from other grid-independent power sources, such as a generator or solar panel.

With respect to batteries, a dry cell battery may be used. Additionally, the battery may be rechargeable, such as a lead-acid battery, a low self-discharge nickel metal hydride battery ( “LSD-NiMH” ) battery, a nickel–cadmium battery ( “NiCd” ) , a lithium-ion battery, or a lithium-ion polymer ( “LiPo” ) battery. Careful attention should be taken if using a lithium-ion battery or a LiPo battery to avoid the risk of unexpected ignition from the heat generated by the battery. While such incidents are rare, they can be minimized via appropriate design, installation, procedures and layers of safeguards such that the risk is acceptable.

The power supply could also be driven by a power generating system, such as a dynamo using a commutator or through electromagnetic induction. Electromagnetic induction eliminates the need for batteries or dynamo systems but requires a magnet to be placed on a moving component of the system.

The power supply may also include an emergency stop feature, also known as a “kill switch, ” to shut off the machinery in an emergency or any other safety mechanisms known to prevent injury to users of the machine. The emergency stop feature or other safety mechanisms may need user input or may use automatic sensors to detect and determine when to take a specific course of action for safety purposes.

The system 10 may include a machine-user interface, which allows for a way for a user to provide instructions, see information about the system (e.g., status, warnings, alerts, etc. ) and to make changes or other inputs to the system. A user interface is how the user interacts with a machine. The user interface can be a digital interface, a command-line interface, a graphical user interface ( “GUI” ) , oral interface, virtual reality interface, or any other way a user can interact with a machine (user-machine interface) . For example, the user interface ( “UI” ) can include a combination of digital and analog input and/or output devices or any other type of UI input/output device required to achieve a desired level of control and monitoring for a device. Examples of input and/or output devices include computer mice, keyboards, touchscreens, knobs, dials, switches, buttons, speakers, microphones, LIDAR, RADAR, etc. Input (s) received from the UI can then be sent to a microcontroller to control operational aspects of a device.

The user interface module can include a display, which can act as an input and/or output device. More particularly, the display can be a liquid crystal display ( “LCD” ) , a light-emitting diode ( “LED” ) display, an organic LED ( “OLED” ) display, an electroluminescent display ( “ELD” ) , a surface-conduction electron emitter display ( “SED” ) , a field-emission display ( “FED” ) , a thin-film transistor ( “TFT” ) LCD, a bistable cholesteric reflective display (i.e., e-paper) , etc. The user interface also can be configured with a microcontroller to display conditions or data associated with the main device in real-time or substantially real-time.

The interface may be at the control box 50 or remote. For example, handhelds, tablets, phones, computers, touchscreens, and the like, may be wired or wirelessly connected, such as via networks. In some embodiments, the network is, by way of example only, a wide area network ( “WAN” ) such as a TCP/IP based network or a cellular network, a local area network ( “LAN” ) , a neighborhood area network ( “NAN” ) , a home area network ( “HAN” ) , or a personal area network ( “PAN” ) employing any of a variety of communication protocols, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, near field communication ( “NFC” ) , etc., although other types of networks are possible and are contemplated herein. The network typically allows communication between the communications module and the central location during moments of low-quality connections. Communications through the network can be protected using one or more encryption techniques, such as those techniques provided by the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) , which superseded the Data Encryption Standard (DES) , the IEEE 802.1 standard for port-based network security, pre-shared key, Extensible Authentication Protocol ( “EAP” ) , Wired Equivalent Privacy ( “WEP” ) , Temporal Key Integrity Protocol ( “TKIP” ) , Wi-Fi Protected Access ( “WPA” ) , and the like.

Figs. 6A-6I show sequential steps of an example of an automated cleaning process by the automated cleaning system 10 of any of the aspects and/or embodiments disclosed herein. Fig. 6A shows the robotic arm 18 connected to one or more coupons 46, such as via a coupon hanger 44. The robotic arm 18 is at a left position on the guide rail 16 and the arm is in a retracted vertical position. As noted, the connection between the arm 18 and the coupon (s) will be releasable. In Fig. 6B, the robotic arm 18 and attached coupon (s) have moved in a first linear direction 20 along the guide rail 16 to a position wherein the coupon (s) is above a first liquid solution bin with liquid solution (e.g., sulfuric acid) .

In Fig. 6C, the robotic arm 18 is extended in a generally vertical direction 24 to submerge the coupon (s) in the solution. The robotic arm 18 may hold the coupon (s) in place or may release the coupon (s) in the solution. A timer included with the solution begins a counter to determine when to remove the coupon (s) from the solution. Still further, as included, ultrasonic equipment may be included with the solution bins to more efficiently agitate and clean the coupons.

In Fig. 6D, the coupon 46 has been removed from the first bin by retracting the robotic arm 18. The arm and coupon are then moved along the guide rail to the next location, which is the hydrochloric acid bin for this particular cleaning process. As shown in Fig. 6E, the arm is again extended to submerge the coupon (s) in the bin for a predetermined amount of time, and with ultrasonic agitation to aid in the cleaning.

In Figs. 6F and 6G, the robotic arm 18 and coupon (s) 46 move to the next cleaning process, which is shown to be the water bin 34. Again, the arm moves linearly along the rail to position the coupon (s) above a bin, and the arm is extended and retracted to submerge and remove the coupon from the bin.

In Figs. 6H and 6I, the robotic arm 18 and coupon (s) 46 move to the next cleaning process, which is shown to be the ethanol bin 36. Again, the arm moves linearly along the rail to position the coupon (s) above a bin, and the arm is extended and retracted to submerge and remove the coupon from the bin.

After the cleaning process is complete, the robotic arm 18 is retracted to “lift” the coupon (s) , and the combination moves in the second direction 22 along the linear guide rail 16 until the coupon (s) is generally above the drying rack 26. The arm 18 places the coupon (s) on the drying rack 26, where air or other gases can be directed to the coupon (s) to aid in drying the same.

As this steps shown in Figs. 6A-6I are automated by the system 10, there is reduced risk of exposure and/or contamination for the coupons and/or the user.

Thus, in summary, the cleaning process is as follows:

· Robot arm take the coupon hanger assembly from the rack.

· Robot moves up with the coupon hanger assembly.

· Robot moves right and will stop above acid case. If the coupon material is iron or stainless steel, it will be stop above hydrochloric acid case. If the coupon material is copper or brass, it will be stop above sulfuric acid case.

· Robot moves down and put the coupon into the acid solution.

· Ultrasonic will start to clean coupon to remove the surface corrosion. Duration is about 30s～5min and it can be set up.

· Robot will take the coupon to the alkali case and put the coupon into the sodium bicarbonate solution about 1-minute to neutralize the acid on the surface of coupon while ultrasonic is working. The duration also can be set up.

· Robot will take the coupon to the water case and put the coupon into the water about 1-minute to remove residues on the surface of coupon. The duration is also can be set up.

· Robot will take the coupon to the water case and put the coupon into the ethanol about 1-minute to remove water on the surface of coupon. The duration is also can be set up.

· Robot will take the coupon hanger back to the rack after the cleaning process finished and the electrical fan will work to dry it. Robot will take another coupon hanger to go through the cleaning process until all coupon hangers are taken.

· Waste solution will be discharged automatically.

There are numerous advantages to the systems and methods as provided. Such improvements include, but are not limited to, coupon analysis efficiency, data accuracy improvement, improved safety, commercialized cleaning, and improved efficiency of inhibitor coupon cleaning.

Therefore, automated systems, methods, and/or machines have been included for the cleaning of corrosion coupons to mitigate the risk of contamination and exposure to a user of liquid solutions used to clean the coupons. It should be appreciated that many alternatives, variations, and other changes may be included in any of the aspects and/or embodiments provided. For example, different liquid solutions could be used, different mechanisms for the movement and positioning of the coupons, and further electronics could be included, all of which are to be considered part of the invention.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present disclosure accomplishes at least all of the stated objectives.

Claims

A method for automatically cleaning a coupon, the method comprising:

connecting, with a robotic arm, a coupon to be cleaned;

moving the robotic arm and coupon along a path about a first plane; and

exposing the coupon to a preselected series of fluids by extending the robot arm to submerge the coupon sequentially into the series of fluids to clean the coupon, wherein the robot arm and coupon are moved along the first plane.
The method of claim 1, further comprising hanging the coupon on a rack after exposure to the preselected series of fluids.
The method of claim 2, further comprising providing an air stream to dry the coupon on the rack.
The method of claim 2, further comprising moving the coupon and robotic arm about a second plane towards the rack after exposure to the preselected series of fluids.
The method of claim 1, further comprising operating the robotic arm with a controller, wherein said controller including a processor with a computer readable medium comprising instructions for operating the robotic arm.
The method of claim 5, wherein the instructions comprise the preselected series of fluids for submerging the coupon via the robotic arm.
The method of claim 6, wherein the instructions further comprise a predetermined amount of time for submerging the coupon via the robotic arm into each of the fluids of the preselected series.
The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an ultrasound at one or more of the fluids when the coupon is submerged therein.
The method of claim 1, wherein the fluids comprise different solutions for cleaning the coupon.
An automated system for cleaning a plurality of coupons, comprising:

a cleaning machine comprising:

a frame;

a robotic arm slidably connected to the frame, the robotic frame including an end effector to releasably connect to a coupon;

a plurality of liquids for cleaning the coupon; and

a drying rack; and

a controller with computer readable medium including instructions for the cleaning machine to perform the following steps:

automatically connecting the robotic arm to a coupon;

moving, via the frame, the robotic arm and coupon to align the robotic arm and coupon with at least one of the liquids;

submerging the coupon into the liquid by extending the robotic arm and leaving the coupon in said liquid for a predetermined amount of time;

repeating the moving and submerging with a plurality of the other liquids to clean the coupon; and

placing the cleaned coupon on the drying rack and releasing the coupon from the robotic arm.
The automated system of claim 10, wherein the controller and computer readable medium are housed in a control box connected to the frame of the cleaning machine.
The automated system of claim 10, wherein the controller comprises a timer.
The automated system of claim 10, wherein the cleaning machine comprises a plurality of bins to hold the plurality of liquids.
The automated system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of liquids comprise solutions for cleaning coupons of various compositions.
The automated system of claim 13, further comprising a transducer to create an ultrasound in one or more of the plurality of bins to ultrasonically clean the coupons.
The automated system of claim 10, wherein the drying rack comprises a fan for drying the cleaned coupons.
The automated system of claim 10, wherein the frame comprises a guide rail for sliding the robotic arm in first and second linear directions.
An automated cleaning machine for cleaning coupons, comprising:

a frame;

a robotic arm slidably connected to the frame, said robotic arm being extendable in a direction generally transverse to the direction of sliding of the arm relative to the frame;

a plurality of liquid solutions in bins spaced relative to the frame;

a drying rack for coupons; and

a controller configured to:

operate the robotic arm to attach at least one coupon thereto;

move the robotic arm and at least one coupon above a bin with a liquid solution;

extend the robotic arm to submerge at least a portion of the coupon into the liquid solution;

repeat move and extend to other bins to clean the coupon; and

move the cleaned coupon via the robotic arm to place the cleaned coupon at the drying rack.
The automated cleaning machine of claim 18, further comprising a transducer operatively connected to the bins to ultrasonically clean the coupon in the bins.
The automated cleaning machine of claim 19, wherein the controller comprises a computer readable medium with stored instructions to perform the cleaning steps.